Cathal mac Conchobair
Encyclopedia
Family background
Cathal was the third son of Conchobar mac Taidg MórConchobar mac Taidg Mór
Conchobar mac Taidg Mór was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the grandson of Muirgius mac Tommaltaig , a previous king. His father Tadg Mór had been slain fighting in Muirgius' wars versus the minor tribes of Connacht. He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the...
(died 882) to rule Connacht, following his older brother Áed mac Conchobair
Áed mac Conchobair
Áed mac Conchobair was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór , the previous king and was the first of his three sons to rule in succession. He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin. He ruled from 882-888.Áed's reign was...
(died 888) and youngest brother Tadg mac Conchobair
Tadg mac Conchobair
Tadg mac Conchobair was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór , a previous king, the second of his three sons to rule in succession, succeeding his brother Áed mac Conchobair . He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin...
(died 900). There may have been a fourth brother, Máel Cluiche mac Conchobair, who died in battle in 913.
They belonged to the Síl Muiredaig branch of Uí Briúin Ai kindred. The Uí Briúin Ai claimed descent from Brion, an older brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall Noígíallach , or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, son of Eochaid Mugmedón, was an Irish king, the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century...
, and the kingship of Connacht alternated irregularly between the Síl Muiredaig and the Síl Cathail branches of the kindred. By Cathal's time, the Síl Cathail were all but excluded from the succession.
King of Connacht
On becoming king, Cathal was faced with a demand from Flann SinnaFlann Sinna
Flann Sinna was the son of Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid of Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the southern Uí Néill. He was King of Mide from 877 onwards and is counted as a High King of Ireland...
(died 916), the High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
, for acknowledgement of his authority. This was agreed in a meeting at Clonmacnoise
Clonmacnoise
The monastery of Clonmacnoise is situated in County Offaly, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone....
in 900, and Cathal is found frequently fighting alongside and on behalf of Flann.
The Munster Wars
War broke out between the high king and the King of Munster, Cormac mac CuilennáinCormac mac Cuilennáin
Cormac mac Cuilennáin was an Irish bishop and was king of Munster from 902 until his death. He was killed fighting in Leinster, probably attempting to restore the fortunes of the kings of Munster by reimposing authority over that province.Cormac was regarded as a saintly figure after his death,...
(died 908) and Cathal became caught up in this as an ally of Flann Sinna. In 907 the forces of Munster campaigned against the Connachta as far as Mag nAí (in central modern County Roscommon) and the Ui Neill
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....
and took the hostages of Connacht. These forces included a naval force operating on the Shannon. In 908, however, the forces of the high king which included Cathal defeated and crushed the forces of Munster at the Battle of Belach Mugna in Mag Ailbe (Ballaghmoone, in northern modern County Carlow) and Cormac was slain.
Connacht invaded
In 913 Niall GlúndubNiall Glúndub
Niall Glúndub mac Áedo was a 10th century Irish king of the Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland. While many Irish kin groups were members of the Uí Néill, tracing their descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages , the O'Neill dynasty took their name from Niall Glúndub rather than the earlier Niall...
(died 919) of the Cenél nEógain
Cenél nEógain
Cenél nEóġain is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Eógan mac Néill , son of Niall Noígiallach who founded the kingdom of Tír Eoghain in the 5th century...
of the northern Ui Neill began to make his bid to be recognized as heir to the high Kingship. He invaded Connacht and defeated the men of North Connacht (Uí Amalgada and the men of Umall). Cathal's brother was slain in this affair. Niall became high king in 916.
Defeat of Donnchad Donn
The next high king Donnchad DonnDonnchad Donn
Donnchadh Donn mac Flainn was High King of Ireland. He belonged to Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the southern Uí Néill.-Origins:...
(died 944) of Meath invaded Connacht in 922. His forces were however defeated in the wilderness of Áth Luain (Athlone). Whether this was the usual attempt of a new high king to impose his authority on Connacht or directed against the intense Viking activity on the Shannon at this time is not mentioned. The King of Aidne, Mael son of Duí had been killed by Vikings that year